SAN DIEGO: SAN DIEGO (AP) - It's almost as if last season didn't end for the San Diego Padres.
The Padres go into 2014 trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers and with one of their starting pitchers already having arm trouble.
There had been a general air of optimism surrounding the Padres, who are coming off seasons of 91, 86 and 86 losses. Their rotation has been bolstered, as well as their player payroll.
Then came word late in spring training that newcomer Josh Johnson, penciled in as the No. 3 starter, is expected to be out four to five weeks after straining his right forearm.
That still leaves a projected rotation of Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy and Eric Stults, with a number of pitchers to choose from to replace Johnson.
''I think we have the talent on the mound, through our 12 guys that are going to make our team, to pitch well,'' manager Bud Black said. ''There's a health component here like all teams. We've got keep our best players on the field.''
The Padres signed Johnson to an $8 million, one-year contact less than two months after he had bone spurs removed from his pitching elbow. He was 2-8 with a 6.20 ERA in 16 appearances last season with Toronto.
When Johnson returns, the Padres hope he and Ian Kennedy can return to their old form.
Kennedy was acquired from division rival Arizona at the trading deadline. He went 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA with San Diego after going 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 21 starts with the Diamondbacks. Johnson was an All-Star with the Marlins in 2009 and 2010, and led the NL with a 2.30 ERA in 2010.
The Padres will be tested right away. They open at home Sunday night against the defending NL West champion Dodgers and their $225 million payroll, led by ace Clayton Kershaw, himself a $215 million man. The Dodgers already sit atop the division after sweeping the Diamondbacks in a two-game series in Sydney.

WASHINGTON: WASHINGTON (AP) - Thanks in part to No. 1 overall draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, the 2012 Washington Nationals were considered an up-and-coming team, perhaps a year or two away from contending.
So what did they do? Went out and led the majors with 98 wins.
Thanks to that quick rise, the 2013 Nationals became a popular pick to go to the World Series. So what did they do? Stumbled at the start and missed out on the playoffs.
Now here come the 2014 Nationals, featuring largely the same roster - including Strasburg on the mound, and Harper in left field, both feeling good after offseason surgery - and with rookie manager Matt Williams replacing Davey Johnson, he of the ''World Series or bust'' proclamation.
One key difference: The club knows what it's like to experience a truly disappointing, worse-than-they-were-supposed-to-be season for the first time since moving from Montreal in 2005.
''We got ahead of ourselves a little bit. My take on it was always: Last year in spring training, we had expectations on ourselves, really, for the first time, and we thought we were better, maybe, than we were,'' reliever Tyler Clippard said. ''We came into the season expecting to win, which is a good thing. But at the same time, we might not have went out there and earned it, like we should have.''
Yes, the team that got Strasburg and Harper thanks to consecutive 100-loss seasons is trying to deal with lofty goals.
''To see the organization from basically, literally, the ground up, improve is something I kind of take pride in, because when I signed, people would be like, `Oh, you play for the Expos and the Nationals,' and they'd be like, `Uh, OK, I don't know them,''' said shortstop Ian Desmond, drafted by Montreal in 2004. ''And now, it's like there's some pride behind playing for the Washington Nationals.''

Following a six-day span in which they didn't put up more than three runs, the Washington Nationals have managed to turn things around at the plate.

Now they could be facing a stretch without their star slugger.

While Bryce Harper's status is uncertain, the Nationals hope to keep swinging the bats well Saturday as they try to take two of the first three in a four-game home set with the San Diego Padres.

Washington (13-11) totaled 13 runs and 32 hits over a six-game slump before scoring 19 with 44 hits in its last three. On Friday, the Nationals had a season-high 17 hits in an 11-1 victory that evened their series versus San Diego (11-13).

A night after going hitless in 16 at-bats with runners in scoring position in a series-opening 4-3 loss, they went 7 for 17 with 11 RBIs in those spots to improve to 4-5 on their 11-game homestand.

Harper also appeared to be getting into a groove with four hits in seven at-bats against the Padres. He was 2 for 2 with a career-high four RBIs Friday, but had to leave after four innings with a jammed thumb.

Harper could be seen flexing his left wrist after sliding head first on his bases-loaded triple in the third inning. Manager Matt Williams said X-rays were negative and he would be re-evaluated Saturday.

"I slid into the bag and I caught it a little bit," Harper said. "Went into the dugout, swung a couple in the cage, felt fine. Went out to the outfield, it swelled up a little bit."

Anthony Rendon will look to stay on a roll after finishing with a career-high four hits and two RBIs Friday, while Jose Lobaton and Ian Desmond each added three hits. Lobaton, a former San Diego catcher, has gone 10 for 22 over a five-game hitting streak.

San Diego's Andrew Cashner (2-2, 2.10 ERA) will try to quiet those bats and get back on track after giving up four runs over six innings in a 4-3 loss at Milwaukee on Monday.

It was the first time in 11 starts that the right-hander had given up more than two earned runs. The streak trailed only the Los Angeles Dodgers' Zach Greinke, who has now gone 17 starts without giving up that many.

"I didn't execute well with my sinker," said Cashner, who struck out a season-low four batters. "I was up with it quite a bit."

Cashner struggled in his only start in Washington on July 5, giving up a career high-tying six runs in two frames of an 8-5 loss.

The Nationals counter with right-hander Tanner Roark (1-0, 3.80), who held the Los Angeles Angels scoreless over 6 2-3 innings Monday before the bullpen failed him in a 4-2 loss.

The Padres haven't given their starters much room for error, ranking at or near the bottom of the majors in runs (65), home runs (13), batting average (.226) and on-base percentage (.278).

San Diego has several regulars hitting below .200, including Chase Headley, Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko. Headley, however, was placed on the disabled list after going down with a strained calf Thursday.

Making matters worse, Seth Smith is day-to-day after missing Friday's contest due to a groin injury. He's been a bright spot, hitting .277 with a team-high .385 on-base percentage.